Somatic fusion

Somatic fusion is the joining of non-reproductive cells into a single cell. It can combine their nuclei or cytoplasm to produce hybrid cells, including plant somatic hybrids.

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Cell membrane fusion: The merger of two cell membranes into one continuous membrane, allowing cells to become a single cell. Somatic fusion requires the plasma membranes of separate cells to merge.
Hybridoma: A hybrid cell line formed by fusing an antibody-producing B cell with an immortal myeloma cell. Hybridomas use somatic fusion to combine antibody production with long-term growth.
Somatic cell: Any body cell that is not a reproductive cell or its precursor. Somatic fusion joins cells from the non-reproductive lineages named in the concept.
Sexual reproduction: Reproduction in which gametes unite and transmit genetic material to offspring. Unlike fertilization, somatic fusion joins non-reproductive cells directly.
Polyethylene glycol: A polymer used in laboratories to promote cell adhesion and membrane fusion. It is a common chemical fusogen for joining plant protoplasts and animal cells.
Monoclonal antibody: An antibody population derived from one cell lineage and directed against a single molecular target. Hybridomas made by cell fusion became a standard source of monoclonal antibodies.
Cytoplasm: The material inside a cell membrane, excluding the nucleus, where organelles and many cellular reactions reside. Fusion combines parental cytoplasm and can mix their organelles.
Cellular reprogramming: The alteration of a cell's identity or developmental state without necessarily merging it with another cell. Reprogramming changes cell state; somatic fusion combines cells and their contents.
Electrofusion: A technique that uses electrical pulses to bring cell membranes into close contact and induce fusion. Electrical pulses can fuse selected cells without relying on a chemical fusogen.
Somatic hybridization: The production of hybrid plants by fusing somatic cells, usually protoplasts, from different plants. This plant-breeding approach uses somatic fusion to combine parental cell contents.